Rolls-Royce News: Rumorpile: Rolls-Royce To Use Aluminum In Next Phantom

[William Maley]

A new report from Automobile says the next-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom will be debuting modular architecture made out of aluminum. This new platform will underpin the next-generation of Rolls-Royce vehicles such as the upcoming SUV and next-generation Ghost lineup. No information was provided as to how much weight the move to aluminum would cut.

 

As for the next-generation Phantom, the report says we could be seeing it next year. The Phantom will be offered in a short and long-wheelbase sedan. The coupe and drophead - Rolls speak for roadster - will be dropped due to lack of demand. Looks are said to be more imposing. A V12 engine from BMW will be the sole engine.

 

Source: Automobile

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[Suaviloquent]

Obviously, it's the Ford F150's industry changing aluminum construction that has forced Rolls-Royce's hand. 

[balthazar]

The coupe and drophead - Rolls speak for roadster - will be dropped due to lack of demand.

 

Mmm-uh-oh!

[ocnblu]

Aluminum is more appropriate for a rarified vehicle like a Rolls-Royce than it is for a bread-and-butter vehicle like a Ford F-150.

[El Kabong]

I'll be honest: for the money customers are shelling out for a Rolls they should probably be getting a carbon-fibre tub. But then you'd be doing something efficiently, and is luxury all about efficiency? So you'd market it as a strength/safety thing. Typing on the fly is fun. Who's got smores?

[G. David Felt]

Corvette beat them to the punch for getting this done already.

[smk4565]

The current Phantom is made from a lot of aluminum.  It is going to be heavy either way, the short wheelbase phantom is longer than a Chevy Suburban, it is a huge car.  The Phantom coupe is dumb, they should drop that.  The convertible needs to stay.  That would be a shame if Rolls-Royce stopped making convertibles.  I always thought the Corniche was a really cool looking car in every generation and there is just something truly majestic about a Rolls-Royce convertible.

[G. David Felt]

The current Phantom is made from a lot of aluminum.  It is going to be heavy either way, the short wheelbase phantom is longer than a Chevy Suburban, it is a huge car.  The Phantom coupe is dumb, they should drop that.  The convertible needs to stay.  That would be a shame if Rolls-Royce stopped making convertibles.  I always thought the Corniche was a really cool looking car in every generation and there is just something truly majestic about a Rolls-Royce convertible.

Rolls only exists for the 1/10 of 1% that can afford bloated over rated auto's like this. Course the Rappers also seem to love to waste money on these auto's. Reality, you as well as I know that the S series beats the Rolls as do many other 1% level luxury auto's.

 

The next 10-15 years will be interesting to see who survives and who dies as I think with the Chinese coming on, we will see a glut of auto choices from the lowly sub sub compact to the ubber luxury and some will have to go into the history books as they cannot all survive.

[smk4565]

Technologically and Mechanically the S-class is a better car than anything Rolls Royce makes. But with the Rolls you get leather from free range cows, wood grain from the same tree that matches all the way around the dash, hand stitched monogram headrests, 2 inch thick lambs wool carpeting, chrome polished for 17 hours by a man wearing white gloves, etc. There is a specialness to it.

I have only seen 1 Phantom on the road, if you have a Phantom you are the elite of the elite. And I love the S-class, I think it is the best car in the world, but I see them every day. There is a sense of occasion in just seeing a Rolls Royce, let alone owning one.